Adult Education
The training, workshops, and in-classroom modeling we offer will change the way substitutes and other staff work in your classrooms, schools, and district. It will support your teaching staff in the exact way they need to be supported during these unusual times.
Training Sessions
How to Connect With a Class (Quickly!) as a Substitute
Substitute teaching requires a different skill set than classroom teaching. This session delves into the realities of TIME and RELATIONSHIP and how the lack of both can change the way subs interact with learners. We will use the SubCommunity model of gathering to tell our sub stories about connecting quickly with students. We will reflect upon our sub superpowers, or the gifts and talents we bring into the classroom with us, and learn about how those superpowers can be pathways to connection. Expect to walk away with a variety of high yield, replicable and practical connection strategies to use in the classroom this school year.
Learning Objectives:
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That participants would understand and utilize the power of noticing and intentional listening in order to connect with students rapidly
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That participants would reflect upon how human beings connect and to examine barriers to connection
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That participants would practice storytelling and authenticity (with boundaries) as a way to connect quickly with learners
No Sub Plans? No Problem! What to Do when There is Nothing to Do
The most common frustration we discuss with subs (and experience ourselves!) is arriving at school in the morning to no or poor sub plans. This session will give you an opportunity, using the SubCommunity model of gathering, to reflect upon your own response when faced with no sub plans. You will have time to strategize and collaborate with other subs around this common situation, and you will learn and try on a plethora of new, on-the-fly lesson ideas and games to use when faced with no/poor plans.
Learning Objectives:
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That participants would reflect on their own attitudes and responses when they encounter a teaching job with no sub plans
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That participants would assemble a toolkit of last minute, high yield instructional strategies and social emotional learning games to use when faced with no sub plans
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That participants would learn to leverage the power of UDL to design effective, last minute, meaningful time fillers
I Know I am Not Your Teacher: Power, Boundaries, and Control as Subs
As substitute teachers, we drop into strange environments and adapt. Our jobs are constantly changing and evolving, so it is important to focus our energy on the elements of subbing within our control. This session will use the SubCommunity model of gathering to allow substitutes time to reflect upon their own relationship with control as well as discern which aspects of our teaching jobs we can control and which aspects are outside of our control (the cell phone policy?!). We will brainstorm strategies for soliciting help when faced with problems and situations that need a full time staff member’s attention. Expect to walk away with a variety of new mindsets, strategies, and ideas around ‘control as a sub’ that are sure to prevent power struggles with students in the future..
Learning Objectives:​
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That participants would reflect and understand the principles of being a gracious and effective guest in another teacher's classroom
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That participants would reflect on what is within their control and what is outside their control
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That participants would learn how to interact authentically with students and share strengths while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries
Triggers and Glimmers: How Substitute Teachers Can Self-Regulate and De-Escalate
Triggers are events that cause someone to feel upset and frightened because they prompt a memory of something bad that has happened in the past. Glimmers are small moments that spark joy or peace, which can help cue our nervous system to feel safe or calm. Understanding your triggers and glimmers, as a teacher, can help you to self-regulate while working in a sometimes chaotic classroom environment. They can also help us uncover our own implicit biases. This session will use the SubCommunity model of gathering to explore what happens to our nervous systems when we get triggered and how we can use glimmers as well as other regulation strategies for ourselves and with students. Expect to walk away with your own ‘I Calm’ plan!
Learning Objectives:​
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That participants would understand the physiological impacts of triggers and glimmers and reflect on their responses
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That participants would develop a systematic and intentional ‘iCalm’ plan to to use in chaotic moments
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That participants would learn 4 specific strategies to activate ‘glimmers’ in lieu of triggers
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That participants would practice a variety of de-escalation strategies through a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
“The Triggers and Glimmers session was so helpful! I learned how important my own self regulation skills are, in the classroom as a substitute educator.”
“Classroom management and student behaviors have changed so much since I was classroom teacher, so the session on power and boundaries in the classroom for substitute teachers was incredibly helpful.”
Training Outcomes
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Substitute teachers and other staff who participate will have increased instructional skill, classroom management tools, intentionality, and job satisfaction.
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Substitute teachers and other staff who participate will collaborate and build community with one another. This will, in turn, lead to increased instructional strategy sharing, hive-mind troubleshooting around challenges in the classrooms, and meaningful collaboration.
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Increased job satisfaction will allow substitute teachers to become part of the fabric of the school district.
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Increased teacher trust in substitutes. Teachers and building administrators will have secure assurance that, when they cannot be at work, a trained, supported, effective substitute will be present with their students.
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All of these factors culminate in increased student learning.
